Hamlet Analytical Essay
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Hamlet:!
Analytical Essay!
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Today’s society has begun to move away from religious concepts, and closer
towards the black and white thinking of reality. In the words of John Lennon, “reality leaves a lot to the imagination”, which is where Shakespeare fills in the imagination with religion. In the time of Shakespeare, Christianity was beginning to become popular, as
Shakespeare himself was said to have been a Christian. In many of his works, including the thought-provoking Hamlet, the inner thoughts of one’s own mind come to life, as it is explored deeply in this play. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Christian concepts of one’s conscience, death and afterlife are demonstrated through Hamlet and his supporting characters, which parallels the main idea of The Clash’s infamous “Should I Stay or
Should I Go”.!
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Just as all of Shakespeare’s plays have characters with a tragic flaw, Hamlet’s
tragic flaw is his indecisiveness. Throughout the play, he ponders the thoughts of
“exactly who [is he] supposed to be”, and whether or not he has a place in this world after his father was brutally murdered. In his first soliloquy, Hamlet debates whether “to be or not to be”, and wishes “the Everlasting had not fix’d/ His cannon ‘gainst selfslaughter”. His main struggle of his mind consists of the opposing sides of “should I stay or should I go”. Hamlet ultimately decides to remain on this earth to get revenge on
Claudius. However, this brings him to another debatable topic - whether or not to kill
Claudius as he prays, with the fear of Claudius repenting his sins, sending him to heaven. Hamlet does begin to realize the error of his pensive mind, and recognizes that
“conscience does make cowards of us all”. He knows that his indecisive conscience will not get him the outcome that he foresees and will bring him to his end. !
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!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Hamlet:!
Analytical Essay!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Today’s society has begun to move away from religious concepts, and closer
towards the black and white thinking of reality. In the words of John Lennon, “reality leaves a lot to the imagination”, which is where Shakespeare fills in the imagination with religion. In the time of Shakespeare, Christianity was beginning to become popular, as
Shakespeare himself was said to have been a Christian. In many of his works, including the thought-provoking Hamlet, the inner thoughts of one’s own mind come to life, as it is explored deeply in this play. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Christian concepts of one’s conscience, death and afterlife are demonstrated through Hamlet and his supporting characters, which parallels the main idea of The Clash’s infamous “Should I Stay or
Should I Go”.!
!
Just as all of Shakespeare’s plays have characters with a tragic flaw, Hamlet’s
tragic flaw is his indecisiveness. Throughout the play, he ponders the thoughts of
“exactly who [is he] supposed to be”, and whether or not he has a place in this world after his father was brutally murdered. In his first soliloquy, Hamlet debates whether “to be or not to be”, and wishes “the Everlasting had not fix’d/ His cannon ‘gainst selfslaughter”. His main struggle of his mind consists of the opposing sides of “should I stay or should I go”. Hamlet ultimately decides to remain on this earth to get revenge on
Claudius. However, this brings him to another debatable topic - whether or not to kill
Claudius as he prays, with the fear of Claudius repenting his sins, sending him to heaven. Hamlet does begin to realize the error of his pensive mind, and recognizes that
“conscience does make cowards of us all”. He knows that his indecisive conscience will not get him the outcome that he foresees and will bring him to his end. !
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